does anyone know if the info listed in chilton's concerning required replacement of the timing belt
on '97 merc villager,3.0 liter ohc v6 at 105k miles is a must do? i'm at 120k at present and i'm
hoping to avoid this task for maybe another 5k or maybe a trade-in. thank you!

 

The service interval is 105K..

Therisk of going out beyond the service interval is if the belt should breakat an inopertune time, and could be a safety issue,and not just a mechanical one.. Most often the belt change is a must if the engine is an 'interference' engine and the end result would be damaged valves or worse.. The villager 3.0's are a non-interference engine, so if the belt breaks, other than a tow and/or maybe a short hike, would usuallybe the cost of a regular belt replacement.. It's a gamble, but could have some service left..